1. Field of the Invention
This development relates to item tracking in distributed delivery environments. More particularly, this development is directed to systems and methods which identify performance issues and the causes thereof by capturing and analyzing data related to item processing through the distributed delivery environment.
2. Description of the Related Technology
In many existing large-scale distributed delivery environments, items which are processed within the delivery environment are tagged or associated with identifying information that allows the items to be tracked as they are routed through the system. Items are typically tracked as they proceed through the system by scanning identifying tags which are affixed to the items. In some cases, items are misrouted due to tagging or scanning errors. A tagging error occurs when an identifying tag does not correctly represent all of the relevant data about an item. Scanning errors occur when the data scanned for an item is not indicative of the correct data for the item. These errors can be caused by various factors. For example, an error may be caused by physical defects related to the delivery item, such as obstruction of part of the destination code. Other errors may be caused by tagging or scanning errors which occur when the delivery destination code is correctly read, but faulty logic in the scanning machine causes the item to be sent to an incorrect location. When tagging and scanning errors occur in a distributed delivery environment, items can be misrouted resulting in a delivery delay. In automated delivery environments, items may be repeatedly misrouted because the items are typically placed back into the distribution system, and whatever routing disruption originally occurred repeats itself. Sometimes this results in the item not being delivered at all and returned to the sender if possible, or discarded. Thus, scanning errors and tagging errors can result in substantial delivery delays or even non-delivery. In view of these problems and deficiencies, systems and methods are needed which allow for the identification and correction of routing errors in order to prevent substantial delays in the delivery of the misrouted items.